Question: Find the slope and y-intercept of the line that is ${\text{parallel}}$ to $\enspace {y = -\dfrac{1}{2}x - 1}\enspace$ and passes through the point ${(-2, 7)}$. ${1}$ ${2}$ ${3}$ ${4}$ ${5}$ ${6}$ ${7}$ ${8}$ ${9}$ ${\llap{-}2}$ ${\llap{-}3}$ ${\llap{-}4}$ ${\llap{-}5}$ ${\llap{-}6}$ ${\llap{-}7}$ ${\llap{-}8}$ ${\llap{-}9}$ ${1}$ ${2}$ ${3}$ ${4}$ ${5}$ ${6}$ ${7}$ ${8}$ ${9}$ ${\llap{-}2}$ ${\llap{-}3}$ ${\llap{-}4}$ ${\llap{-}5}$ ${\llap{-}6}$ ${\llap{-}7}$ ${\llap{-}8}$ ${\llap{-}9}$
Answer: Parallel lines have the same slope. The slope of the blue line is ${-\dfrac{1}{2}}$ , so the equation of our parallel line will be of the form $\enspace {y = -\dfrac{1}{2}x + b}\enspace$ We can plug our point, $(-2, 7)$ , into this equation to solve for ${b}$ , the y-intercept. $7 = {-\dfrac{1}{2}}(-2) + {b}$ $7 = 1 + {b}$ $7 - 1 = {b} = 6$ The equation of the parallel line is $\enspace {y = -\dfrac{1}{2}x + 6}\enspace$. ${m = -\dfrac{1}{2}, \enspace b = 6}$